§ 3.5 p.m.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, SCOTTISH OFFICE (Lord Hughes)My Lords, it will be recalled that on Thursday last we were unable to take the Third Reading of the Bill because printing procedures had not been carried out until that morning. During the interval, my noble friend the Leader of the House took the opportunity of consulting with various interests throughout the House to try to meet the wishes expressed by your Lordships' House on the subject of the hybridity procedure.
551 I understand that in these discussions the principle of an Amendment to the Bill—and one has been tabled for this afternoon, as your Lordships will know —was accepted, but it has not been possible to agree the actual form of words put in the Amendment up to this point. Further discussions will be taking place later this afternoon. It is hoped that another form of the Amendment will be tabled during the day to enable the Third Reading of the Bill and the Amendment thereon to be taken tomorrow. I apologise to your Lordships for this further delay. I think it will eventually be accepted that it is a genuine effort on the part of all concerned to meet the wishes of the House on this important procedural point.
Lord CAMPBELL of CROYMy Lords, I know that the Government are seeking with an Amendment to meet the point made on this Bill by the House and I understand that the Amendment which has been tabled is likely to be improved from the point of view of this side of the House. We are, therefore, quite ready for the delay, but we hope to be able tomorrow—if the Amendment comes before us tomorrow—to ask for explanations and assurances about its meaning.
§ Lord HUGHESMy Lords, I think the result may be that the Amendment will be improved from the point of view of all sides of the House. It is largely a procedural matter. The noble Lord will have the advantage of addressing questions to my noble friend the Leader of the House, who will be moving the Bill on my behalf tomorrow.